November has been non-stop. I feel like I have been treading water all month, and I'm finally just now starting to come up for air. Here's what I've been into this month!

1. What I’m Watching: We binge-watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon earlier this month, and I LOVED it! Excited for Season Two next year. 
2. What I’m Reading: Nothing right now!
3. My Current Obsession:  Christmas Decorations! 
4. Favorite Beauty Find: Went back to an oldie but goodie this month - St. Ives Apricot Scrub
5. What I’m Wearing: Everything holiday-related! 
6. Best Meal I Ate: Aside from Thanksgiving, we had dinner at Chef Adrianne's for Eddie's birthday. It was amazing as always! 
7. What I can’t stop humming: Christmas Music!
8. Favorite Purchase This Month: My new MacBook Air, so I can work from anywhere and hopefully get you posts with more regularity in the coming months!
9. What I’m Most Looking Forward to Next Month: The gala for Caleb's school, Christmas (duh), and our trip to North Carolina. 
10. Wish List Item: Honestly honestly? I have everything I could ever want or need. I also have had zero time this month to even browse for something I want. 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

Is it really the Christmas season if you haven't had your kids' photos taken with Santa? I like to think of photos with Santa as a way to kick off the Christmas season. This year, thanks to Dolphin Mall, we got our photos done really early! 

Instead of going to see Santa and having to wait in a boring line while your kids ask, "Is it our turn to see Santa yet?" 75 times, head over to Santa's Flight Academy at Dolphin Mall and experience a fun, interactive setup. Kids get an official badge with their photo on it and get "fitted" for their virtual flight suit. 

Caleb loved dancing in front of the "Flight Suit Visualizer," and we had a really great time watching him. 

They also map out Santa's route and help collect cheer to power the sleigh. The sleigh is enormous and filled with all kinds of cool details. 

And then they get to dance and play in the falling snow. Once they've done all of that, they get to see Santa and have their photo taken with him. 

Santa's Flight Academy runs from noon through 10 pm daily until December 24th, on the Second Floor Ramblas, near the entrance of Cinebistro. 

​If you're looking for a fun way to kick off the Christmas season, look no further! Head over to Dolphin Mall and get your Santa photos done! 

Xoxo, 

Jenise

When it comes to buying kids presents, the easiest thing to do is run into a toy store or the toy section at Target and pick up whatever the hot toys are. But the truth is, while toys can entertain kids for a little while, they don't usually have longevity. And when kids are bombarded with toys all at once, they tend to play with them even less - at least, that's what I have found to be the case in our house. So I decided I would put together a post with some suggestions for you to get the kiddos in your life - suggestions that aren't toys - I even managed to score some discount codes for you! 

But before we get to the list, a couple of other tips: 

• If it requires batteries, gift those, too!
• Check with the parents first and make sure certain gifts are okay. 
• Don't buy something that takes up a ton of space. 
• If it has to be built, BUILD it. 
• Check the age recommendation on a product before you buy it for a child.

Also, in our house this year, we are asking family to follow this: 
"One thing they want, 
One thing they need, 
One to wear, 
And one to read." 

When in doubt, stick to one of those categories - I promise you won't go wrong! 

Happy Shopping, friends! 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

The holidays always bring out the mega list-maker and crazy planner in me. Between buying gifts for everyone, the busiest time of year for me as a photographer, and typically planning vacations, birthdays, and hosting events, I’ve got lists coming out of my ears. It’s not wonder that I like to start checking things off as early as possible. 

While most people don’t start thinking about Christmas photos until October or even November, the truth is that as a photographer, I typically start thinking about Christmas photos and cards well before the holiday season actually arrives.

My favorite feature of theirs is that I can input all my contacts and they will address my envelopes for me! This is an enormous timesaver, and it’s probably the one part of this task that delays me immensely. But I really also love how easy their site is to use, and the fact that I can get a digital proof of my card before I order it helps me to not goof up my cards because I was trying to get them done quickly. 

So if you're in need of checking something off your list, head to Minted to get your Christmas cards done. It will be one more thing off your list and one less thing to do once the season really starts to ramp up. 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

Here's the second look in my denim experiment. You can find the jeans and tee linked here. Since fall is in full swing everywhere but Miami, I'm going as fall as I can without sweating my butt off. A colorful plaid shirt in the thinnest flannel possible is a good way to bring in a classic fall look. The booties with a tiny heel are perfect for running errands, and the camel color is so classic that I can definitely see myself using these for years to come. And the tiny bag? Big enough to fit my phone, chapstick, my keys, my credit card, and a shopping list. The perfect bag for when my kids are not with me, ha! (Maybe for Thanksgiving errands or Black Friday shopping?)

The shirt, the shoes, and the bag are all from Gap. I've linked similar styles below.  This is honestly a really comfy look and one that I can put on year after year and feel like I'm in the spirit of fall.  

Photos by Sasha de Almagro

xoxo, 

​Jenise

*Affiliate Links

I was debating whether or not I should continue writing these monthly lists, so I took a super scientific poll on my Instagram Stories (lol). 91% of those of you who voted said you actually read them, so I'll keep it going for you - but I'll be checking my Google Analytics!

With that being said, I forgot to publish one last month - the last couple months were a little bit of a blur with the lack of sleep. But I have managed to get a couple new posts out to you in the last two weeks, so I think we are on an upward swing here! Anyway, here's what I've been loving in October and what I'm looking forward to next month! 

1. What I’m Watching: Fall TV is back, so there's a lot! The Walking Dead (I've been diehard since like season 3 and I just can't quit now), 9-1-1, The Resident, The Good Doctor, This is Us, and all the Chicago Series on NBC. We also binged The Bodyguard on Netflix this past weekend and it was soooo good. Oh, and I can't forget Hallmark Christmas movies, which are already airing! 
2. What I’m Reading: Not technically reading, but I downloaded the audiobook for Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. I'm probably late to the game, and it's taking me forever, but I'm getting there. 
3. My Current Obsession:  Leopard print and luxe fabrics/textures. 
4. Favorite Beauty Find: I've had a couple really bad breakouts recently, so I'm done trying anything new for the time being! BUT I did try Fenty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in Candy Venom and I really liked it! The pigment was amazing, and the texture was great - matte without drying my lips out. 
5. What I’m Wearing: Leopard print, duh. ;) 
6. Best Meal I Ate: We actually didn't eat out much this month - nothing spectacular worth noting anyway. BUT we did order from Harry's Pizzeria this past weekend and had the mushroom pizza and the four cheese and spinach pizza, along with their polenta fries (our favorite). That was the first time we had ordered those specific pizzas and they were sooo good. 
7. What I can’t stop humming: Baby Shark? lol
8. Favorite Purchase This Month: Hubs got me the iPhone XS Max. The camera is pretty amazing. 
9. What I’m Most Looking Forward to Next Month: We've actually got so much going on! A wedding, Christmas minis, Thanksgiving & Hubby's birthday! And this Thursday I'll be a panelist at the last  Mama Boss Panel of 2018. Get your tickets here if you want to come hear me talk about my motherhood journey!
10. Wish List Item: I've got a couple of them, but rounding out the list are this puffer jacket that is way too cute, and I'm really in need of a laptop - that will be my next purchase for sure! 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

If you know me, you know I LOVE jeans. I always have. I love dresses and I love to dress up and wear fun outfits, but the truth of the matter is, I am a jeans girl. So I thought it would be fun to do a series where I dress up a pair jeans and a white tee in different ways and share the looks with you. These are 100% looks that I have worn or will wear on some occasion or another. They're all looks I created with things I already had in my closet, and I'll be sharing them with you over the next couple weeks. 

The whole point of this is to give you some ideas of outfits you can wear with things you already have in your closet, or how you can update your wardrobe with just a few pieces while keeping your basics the same. I LOVE avant garde fashion and runway looks as much as the next woman, but that's just not a reality for my lifestyle. And while I love to follow all the cool fashion bloggers, a lot of their looks also don't really fit into my lifestyle. I like to look on trend but I'm also not willing to spend too much on my wardrobe (because kids, pregnancy, and an ever-changing body) nor do I have the time to go shopping every week. So every season I buy a couple of items to update my wardrobe, but I use the same basics that I have in rotation in my closet. 

A pair of slim ankle-length jeans and a good quality white tee (that rings up at only $8! ). 

We had our first tiny taste of cooler weather here in Miami this weekend - temperatures were the lowest they have been since May. The morning was brisk and the humidity was low, but by midday we were back in the 80s. So this look right here is doing fall in a very Miami way. I added a light scarf and a wool hat, (and even the wool hat may be too much). Pointy-toe flats and a carryall make a great look for running around town and getting errands done. 

Photos by Sasha DeAlmagro 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

*affiliate links

But honestly, one of the coolest things about the new CottonTouch™ line? Both the Wash & Shampoo and the Face & Body Lotion contain actual cotton fibers. When I spoke with Sandrine, she explained that cotton fibers in the CottonTouch™  Newborn Wash & Shampoo help to keep the lather from making baby too slippery - because we all know that babies are slippery enough to begin with. She also explained that in the Newborn Face & Body Lotion, the cotton fibers help baby’s skin to absorb the lotion more quickly, because when you touch your baby, you want to feel their smooth skin, not a greasy lotion. (I can vouch for this because in the Miami humidity, I really don’t like to use body lotion that doesn’t absorb quickly. I can typically apply this and walk right out without feeling like a slippery mess!) ​

And another great thing about JOHNSON’S CottonTouch™  line? You can buy it from most of your favorite retailers, including Target!

So what are you waiting for? Go try it - I’m pretty sure you’ll love it as much as we do!

xoxo, 

​Jenise

Photos by Sasha DeAlmagro 

Hey there! It's a been a while, and odds are you haven't stopped by because I haven't had anything new to tell you. It's been nearly a month since my last post, and while I have been getting things done, attending events, and working my behind off, the truth is, I've been exhausted. The kids had both been sick on and off for almost 3 months, which led to major interruptions in their sleeping patterns. Sometime in August, Chloe went from being a perfect sleeper to needing to be rocked and nursed and coddled all night long. Caleb started school, got sick, and it was downhill from there.

I don't tell you this because I want your pity. I'm here to tell you that while social graces dictate that we should smile and "fake it till ya make it," the truth is, we don't always want to fake it, and we don't always feel like we will make it. In the roughest of my weeks, I probably mentioned to every soul I came across that my kids weren't sleeping through the night. If you were one of those people, I apologize profusely and thank you for not telling me to fly a kite. The truth is, for the last couple of months, I have felt like (and more than likely looked like) what Chloe looks like in the photo above. Crying, whiny, and perennially in a bad mood. 

It's no wonder that sleep deprivation is used as a torture tactic on prisoners. Lack of sleep messes with all of your faculties - from energy levels, to brain chemical imbalances, and mood swings. I had zero energy. I couldn't focus on writing, and I was making really poor decision about what I ate. I kept putting off sleep training because it's something I've always grappled with. I fought it with Caleb, too. Once I did it, though, everyone was happier. I kept reminding myself of that.

And after a really rough night, I decided we needed to just go for it. I contacted a sleep consultant, Anet of Learn Eat Sleep, and she helped me come up with a plan for getting Chloe to sleep. We implemented it, and five days in, we've had two full nights of sleep. I feel almost superhuman. We have all woken up in good moods, we're not scrambling around because we hit snooze three times in a row, and everyone is feeling so much better about themselves. 

But why a full post on this? Because while I made mention in passing on my instagram Stories about Chloe's interrupted sleeping patterns, I wasn't really forthcoming in just how bad it had gotten. Guys, it was bad. One night, after the third wakeup and spending forty minutes hearing her cry and trying to get her settled, I had to go to our room to get Eddie. I was in tears, and I told him, "I'm scared I might hurt her. I'm scared of myself." Guys, THAT is what sleep deprivation does to us. Luckily for all of us, I don't suffer from any kind of mental health issue that might have barred me from recognizing that in that moment, I was NOT OKAY. That night, I totally understood why some moms might hurt their children.

According to my social media posts, however, everything seemed "fine." 

But I wasn't. And you know what? It's okay not to be fine. It's OKAY to say, "I NEED HELP." 

And while you're at it asking for help, remind yourself that you don't need to compare yourself to anyone else. Because as I just proved, I'm only showing you a highlight reel. I try to be honest and transparent, I really do. But I get caught up in this world too, and I want everyone to think I'm doing great. I want to be able to do it all, because after all, in this day and age, our value is measured by how much we produce, right? And raising children doesn't give us a tangible product (I mean, aside from our kids being alive and well at the end of the day). 

But this is me, being transparent. And telling you that I certainly don't have it all together. And I'm here to remind you that it's one hundred percent okay if you don't either. 

And that it's okay to say "I need help," or "I need a break." Because God knows I love my kids and my husband. But really, sometimes, I need to feed my own soul. And I need time away so that I can come back fulfilled and replenished. Then I can be the best wife & mom I know how to be. 

So if you're feeling worn down, momma, know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There are so many of us out here, crying tears of exhaustion and frustration at 2 am. I've been there. You're not the first, and you won't be the last. So ask for help. 

And hang in there mama, you've got this. 

xoxo, 

Jenise

When it comes to starting solids, it seems like there are several schools of thought. There’s the traditional route of rice cereal and purées, and within that category are those who make all their purées from scratch and then there are those who use store-bought purée. There’s baby-led weaning, which is considered progressive in some cultures, but if you talk to any mom with more than two kids you’ll probably hear something about how their third started on table food much more quickly than their other children did. There are those who say, “Food before one is just for fun,” and those who feel like their babies need more than breastmilk or formula to stay satisfied. 

And I’m going to tell you that however you decide to start feeding your babies solids is for you and your child’s pediatrician to decide. I like to do a large combination of all of these things because I am all about balance, reality, and the ease with which I can adapt my kids to everyday life. 
But I’m also going to tell you that amidst writing this post and introducing solids to Chloe, I also had to change my entire approach. So take it all with a grain of salt, and modify when needed. There's a saying in Spanish, "Cada hijo es un mundo," and it translates to "Each child is a world." Basically, no two children are the same, and what works for one of your children may not work for another. So like with anything else related to children, adapt adapt ADAPT. 

First things first. Talk to your child's pediatrician. Make sure your pediatrician thinks your child is ready to start solids. With both of my kids, since I was exclusively breastfeeding, my pediatrician's recommendation was to wait until 6 months to introduce solids. I also feel more comfortable waiting until my kids are sitting up a little better, even if it's with support, just so that they aren't flopping over. ​

​Decide on how you will start and gather what you need. If you're buying foods, figure out which ones you need to buy. If you're making it yourself, you'll need a few additional supplies! You don't need a special baby food maker - but you will need something in which to steam your veggies, a good blender, and containers to store and freeze the foods. You can check out my Amazon Idea List to see some of the things I use. 

Just start! Don't overthink it too much. If your baby is showing interest in foods, it's probably a good time to try it. 

A couple of key points I follow, regardless of what methods I'm trying: 

• I only try one new food every three days. This is to rule out any allergies. If you're trying too many foods at one time and your child has a reaction, it might be difficult to rule out what caused the reaction. 
• I alternate fruits and veggies. My pediatrician recommended fruits first, and I know there are others who recommend vegetables first so kids don't get used to the sweetness first. So, I alternate.
• I skip cereal. This is totally up to you, but I'm just telling you how I do it. Rice/oatmeal cereal is recommended first because there's a low chance of an allergic reaction. I think it was also recommended as a first food when foods were introduced at 4 months because it was more bland and again, less chances of a reaction. I personally see no nutritional value in it, and I don't feel the need to "fatten my kids up". I'd rather start with something that will give them actual nutrients. The only issue with not giving cereal is that cereals are usually fortified with iron, and breastmilk iron stores usually start to deplete around 6 months. To balance this out, once I've introduced plenty of foods, I do a lot of iron-rich foods (leafy greens, meats, lentils). I also make bone broth and freeze it in cubes, and mix it into whatever foods I am giving them to add some additional iron. 
• I start with one feeding a day. The first couple weeks of trying foods are pretty disastrous. There's tons to clean up and more often than not a post-feeding bath is required. So until they get the hang of it, once a day it is. 

When I was ready to introduce solids to Caleb, I did a lot of reading up and came across baby-led weaning (BLW). I thought it had some really great merits, but I was still a little hesitant. I had a conversation with a great friend about it and she told me she had done a combination of BLW and traditional purees with her twins. After talking about how she did it, I knew it was something I could really get behind. 

Some of the things I liked about BLW: 

• Self-feeding. Obviously at first, you are sitting there watching them like a hawk. But Caleb was eating on his own so quickly that I don't remember spoon feeding him very often. But letting them feed themselves helps out in several ways, including in helping them to develop their fine motor skills.
• Hunger/fullness cues. Allowing babies to feed themselves allows them to recognize their hunger cues and let you know when they are ready to stop. 
• Ease of everyday. Its easy to go to a restaurant and let a baby pick off your plate. You don't have to carry anything extra and you don't have to ask for anything to be warmed up. It's also easier at home to not have to prepare a separate meal. 

So how did I integrate the two?

Whenever I tried a new food, I introduced the "solid" first. These are finger-sized pieces of food that baby can grab and bite. Vegetables are steamed or boiled so they are soft enough for baby to chew. I prepared half of the food this way and then pureed the other half. After they had a chance to explore the new food, I would give them some in puree form so that I could make sure they ingested it. So I basically combined the best of the two methods and found what worked for us. 

Again, this may or may not work for you, and for Chloe, it's been an adventure. I finally figured out that she likes fruits, but she isn't crazy about veggies, so if I mix the two, she will eat it. Of course she wants nothing to do with homemade food! 

If you are in the process of starting solids with your little one, I hope this helps. But again, please please please check with your child's pediatrician before you introduce solids. This is simply me experience with my children and I am not a medical professional. 

Good luck, mommas (and daddies, too!)! You've got this!

xoxo, 

​Jenise